Gas main stopper



May 29, 1934. H. L. PEDEN GAS MAIN STOPPER Filed July 21, 1933 INVENTORHu k L. Baden @w Q1 ATTORNEYS Patented May 29, 1934 UNITED STATES1,960,710 7 GAS MAIN STOPPER Hugh L. Peden, Bronxville, N. Y., assignorto Safety Gas Main Stopper (30., Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation ofNew York Application July 21, 1933, Serial No. 681,451

11 Claims.

This invention has general reference to gas main stoppers of the typesuch as shown in prior United States Letters Patent, Nos. 1,627,502,granted May 3, 1927, and 1,695,187, granted December 11, 1928, whichstoppers include an expansible stopper body which is normally contractedto a substantially elongated oval for insertion through -fa tap hole inthe gas main and which is subsequently expanded to a substantiallycirculari-form and swung transversely to a position so that itsperiphery intimately fits the bore of the main to stop the flow of gastherethrough.

The present invention has particular reference to an improved means forhandling and manipulating the stopper body to effect its insertion andemplacement'in the main and its expansion and movement to an effectiveposition for stopping the flow of gas, as well as to facilitate itssubsequent contraction and withdrawal from the main.

The invention aims for some of its principal objects to provide animproved manipulating and handling means for a stopper body of theindicated character, by virtue of which the insertion and setting of thestopper element is in each use automatically caused to be uniformlymoved to a proper position within the main to stop the flow of :gas andthis without requiring any particular skill or experience on the part ofthe operator; which renders the device capable of more expeditioussetting and removal so as to save the amount of gas wasted; which moreeffectively maintains its set position; which is neither complicated norcumbersome in its construction and hence is easier to handle andmanipulate; which is; comparatively inexpensive to produce and which ishighly eflicient for .its intended purpose.

With the above recited and other objects in view, reference is made tothe following specification and accompanying drawing in which there hasbeen disclosed several preferred embodiments of the invention, while theappended claims are intended to cover variations and other modificationsthereof which fall within their scope.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side view illustrating a stopper constructed in accordancewith the invention, during the initial stages of its insertion in thegas main.

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the handle member shown in longitudinalsection and illustrating in full lines the device in its fully appliedand set position.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on a plane indicated by theline 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side view of a modified adaptation of theinvention.

Fig. 5' is an edge view thereof.

Referring to the drawing by characters of reference, A designates anexpansible gas main stopper body of any of the usual types such as shownin the prior patents above referred to and which body in the presentdisclosure consists of a spring framed diaphragm normally inherentlycontracted to a substantially elongated oval form as shown in Fig. 1 ofthe drawing to admit of its insertion through the tap hole B of a gasmain C. It is understood that after insertion the body A is subsequentlyexpanded to a substantially circular form and swung to a position sothat its periphery intimately fits the bore of the main to stop the flowof gas therethrough.

The present invention has to do with an improved means for handling andmanipulating the stopper body A and which means consists of a crosssectionally channel-shaped handle bar 10, the lower end of which isconnected by a link 12 to the stopper body A, the link having pivotalcon- 1 nection at 13 with the stopper body and pivotal connection at 14with the lower end of the handle bar. The handle bar is formed withsuitable stops 15 and 16 which limit the swinging of the link upwardlyand downwardly. Intermediate its ends, the handle bar is formed withspaced furcations or lugs 17 and 18 to engage over and receivetherebetween an edge of the tap hole B so as to properly position thehandle with reference to the main C. The upper furcation or lug 17 hasthreaded, therethrough, a thumb screw or other suitable form of clampingscrew 19 by virtue of which the handle is secured in set position on themain with the lower end extending through the tap hole B. It will beobserved that when so positioned and locked, the lower end of the handlebar 10 is properly spaced above the bore of the main while the link 12permits the lower end of the stopper body A to drop into contact withthe inner periphery or bore of the gas main.

In order to provide means for swinging the stopper body A and expandingthe same, a flexible element or cable 20 is employed which is attachedto an arm 21 pivotally carried by and connected at 22 to the upper endof the stopper body A or at a point diametrically opposite the pivotalconnection 13 of the link therewith so that it is freely swingable withthe arm 21. The cable is trained around a guide or sheave 23 and thenceextends upwardly through the groove defined by .the channel-shapedhandle bar 10 and through a guide opening or bore 24 formed at the upperend of the handle bar 10. The free end of the cable or flexible element20 is provided with a bail like pull handle 25. Obviously, after thestopper body A has been inserted and the handle bar 10 secured to themain C, in the position shown in Fig. 2, an upward pull on the cable 20will cause the stopper body A to be swung from the with the bore of themain until it assumes an angular or canted position approximately 12or=15 from a position perpendicular to the axis of the main. The arm 21serves as a stop to limit the swinging of the body A so as to avoid anytendency of the stopper body being swung past center. After the stopperbody A has been moved to a full sealing position, it may be locked andthus retained by suitable means such as a thumb screw 26 which ismovable into impinging engagement with the cable 20.

The foregoing construction and arrangemen applies to stoppers for thesmaller sizes of mains but where the stoppers are used in connectionwith the larger sizes of mains, it may be found desirable to provide awinding drum on which the cable is wound to obtain the necessaryleverage to operate the device. In this instance, the upper end of thehandle bar 10, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, is fashioned to provide adrum housing 30 within which is journaled, for rotation on a shaft 31, acable winding drum 32, to which the free end of the cable is attached. Acrank handle 33 is secured to the shaft 31 and a set screw 34 isthreaded through one side of the drum housing 30 to impinge against thevside of the drum for locking the same against retrograde movement so asto hold the cable in a wound up condition when the stopper body A is infull sealing position. In this instance also, the handle bar 10 may beprovided with a lateral projecting handle 35. In other respects, theconstruction and operation of the complete stopper device is identicalwith that of the previously described form of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A gas main stopper including in combination with a stopper bodycomprising a framed diaphragm normally contracted to a substantiallyelongated oval for introduction to the main through a tap hole andexpansible to a circular form for stopping the flow of gas through themain; means for handling and manipulating the stopper body to effect itsemplacement and expansion within the main, said means comprising ahandle bar and a cable connected respectively with the stopper bodyadjacent diametrically opposite points of its periphery. Y

2. In a gas main stopper, the combinationwith a stopper body of thecharacter set forth, means for handling and manipulating the stopperbody to effect its emplacement and expansion within the main, said meanscomprising a handle bar and a flexible element connected respectively tothe stopper body adjacent diametricallyopposite points of its periphery.

3. In a gas main stopper, the combination with a stopper body of thecharacter set forth, means for handling and manipulating the stopperbody to effect its emplacement and expansion within the main, said meanscomprising. a handleban a link connection between the lower .end ofthehandle bar and the lower end of the stopper body and a flexible elementconnected with the upper end of the stopper body and having guidedassociation with the handle bar. p

4'. A gas main stopper including an expansible body member, a barpivotally connected to the body member and a, flexible element attachedto said body memberjjandfguidedjibyj saidib'ar for drawing said bodymember from a contracted position lengthwise of the main to an expandedsealing position substantially transversely of the ain.-

5:"Agasmain stopper including an expansible body member, a bar pivotallyconnected to the body m meer me ns rer anchoring the bar to the main anda flexible element attached to said body member and guided by said barfor drawing said body member-from'a 'contracted position lengthwise ofthe main to an expanded sealing position substantially transverselythereof.

, 6. A gasmain-stQpper including; an expansible body: member}.aybanmiygtally' -C'OIlI,1Clied$t0Mthe body memben means foranchorinez'thebargto the main and a-flexible element attached tosaidbody: member zandiguidedvbysaid bar ioradrawing said. body member from acontracted position -;length; wise of the;mai-n;to-anexpanded sealing.position substantially transversely thereofyand means for locking the"flexible elementagainst movement with reference to the-bar so as toretain thebody. member in its expanded sealing-positiQn.-.q. 4.11

.7, A gas main stopper. including,anrexpansible body member, a barpivotally connected: to said body .memberganda flexible element attachedto the body member and. guided by said-bar ier draw: ing said bodymember from a contracted position lengthwise of the main to jan expandedseali e'. position substantially "transversely-of the main, and'meansforilimiting the drawing 03 the; body member toitsexpandedsealingposition, 7

8. A gas main stopper including an expansible body mam-barge .barpivotally 1 1nt6d2.: Q Said body member and -a;-flexibl.e. elementattach to the bodymember and gnidedbyzsa-id ban iordrawe ingsaid bodymember from: a contracted position lengthwise of the 'main-tofanexpanded sealing positionv substantial-1y transversely of ,,the main,and meansfor limiting the. drawing of .the body member to itszexpandedsealing position, said meansconsistingofapstop-ontthe flexible elementengageablewiththe-bar.- Jt 1 9i A gas =main stopperincluding-anexpansibie body member; a'bar pivotally connectedto saidbody member, a flexible Element-attached at one end tosaid body-member;vguide means on said bar member vthroughivvhich theflexibleeleIn-ent isrtrained; and aehandlex-at, the free end oizsaidflexible element; '11.. l

10. A gas main stopper including an expansi-ble' body' member,;a barpiyotally connected to said a body member, %a.flex-ible elementattached; at one endto said bodyimemb er; guide mt i lfi pqnsaid barmemberthrougnwhieh-the flexib em is trained, a' winding gdrunr carried,by; the ,par 7 and to; :whichdrum the ifiexible element is attached. andacrank handleiior turning'the winding drum;

11. A gas main stopper includingan gexpansible body member, abar;pivotally .connec,tedg to said body member; I. aflexible element;attachedat one end to said-bodyzmemben; guidejmeanszonnfi id bar memberthrough which the flexible element-is trained. a windingdrmnicarried'byr he bar. and to which druinztheieilexible elementattached-,- a; crank handle for turning the winding drum, and means forlocking the winding driun againstturn ingmove'ment a I

